Little Lake Theatre Throws Ultimate Birthday Bash

Most people wouldn’t have miniature donkeys for petting or face-painting at their 40th birthday party, but Little Lake's Looking Glass Theatre had more than just that at its birthday bash Sunday.

The grounds surrounding the red barn theater were bedecked in white canopy tents filled with fun activities. Children circulated from tent to tent to decorate cookies, color wooden masks, design paper bag puppets, learn a dance routine, plant a beanstalk or dress up in a costume.  

“My favorite part of the day was planting a beanstalk,” said 9-year-old Peters resident Mackenzie Schwerzler. “It’s going to grow too, 'cause chipmunks don’t like beanstalks, but they eat everything else in my yard.”

Young party goers watched puppet shows and scenes from this season’s shows, “,” “A Peter Rabbit Tale” and “Miss Nelson is Missing,” and sang "Happy Birthday" with the orchestral accompaniment of Pittsburgh Music Academy.

The “Story Book Nook" gave the kids an opportunity to hear children’s stories read aloud by some of Little Lake’s well-known actors.

Washington County Commissioner Bracken Burns, a Little Lake actor and board member, even took his turn reading the story “A Sick Day for Mr. McFee."

“Out of everything I do day-to-day, one of my favorite things is reading to children,” he said. “Something about a story read aloud brings them to life.”

Among the attendees were several of the founding members of the Looking Glass Theatre. Jane Jasulaitis (Rodger), who first had the idea to create a children’s theater at Little Lake 40 years ago, drove from Philadelphia to attend the party.

“We all realized we needed to do something creative to include the children so I made up the character Louis the Rabbit,” said Jasulaitis.

The idea for Looking Glass Theatre, according to Jasulaitis, was entrepreneurial as well.

They needed to find a way to make money during the week when the theater was dark. Louis the Rabbit, played by Jasulaitis, was the emcee of sorts, who greeted the children before the shows.

He’d wave his magic wand and cast a spell over the kids. Jasulaitis says the “magic spell of the theater” encouraged the kids to remain quiet and engaged.

Other founding members in attendance included Carol Lauck, who spearheaded the event; Therese Courtney; Lynne Franks, a current board member who also starred in Looking Glass Theatre’s inaugural show “Unwicked Witch;” and Diana Wheat, wife of the late Will Disney who founded Little Lake.

“Sunny has taken (the) Looking Glass Theatre to new boundaries beyond what we imagined 40 years ago,” said Wheat, referring to Sunny Disney Fitchett, founder Will Disney’s daughter and Little Lake’s current artistic director.

Working the “red carpet” area, where the kids tried on costumes and posed for pictures, was Gretchen Wagner—mother of two former Little Lake apprentices.

“The experiences my girls had as apprentices at Little Lake impacted them profoundly and has in many ways prepared them for their careers.”

She explained that the discipline, commitment and poise they gained from acting at Little Lake makes them so much better at what they do for a living as adults.

With a reputation like that, 40 years of Little Lake’s Looking Glass Theatre was good reason to celebrate.